UC Davis Sacks No. 18 Portland State, 26-17

UC Davis RB Joe Trombetta accounted for 154 yards from scrimmage, rushing 19 times for 93 yards and a score, and catching four passes for 61 yards.

Photo courtesy: Portland State Athletics

PORTLAND, Ore. - UC Davis scored 23 unanswered points and recorded nine sacks, to erase a 17-3 deficit and upset No. 18 Portland State 26-17 in a non-conference game Saturday evening, in front of 12,022 at PGE Park.

The loss spoiled Vikings’ first-year head coach Jerry Glanville’s home debut.

Trailing 17-3, the Aggies (1-1) marched 76 yards in six plays to score just before halftime.

Senior QB Tim Plough hit freshman RB Joe Trombetta out of the backfield for a 41-yard gain to the Portland State 16.

Three plays later, Plough lofted a pass to junior WR Brandon Rice for a five-yard TD pass with 1:25 left in the half.

The PAT was blocked to give the Vikings (0-2) a 17-9 lead at the break.

Trombetta later scored on a nine-yard run to finish a quick, four-play, 35-yard march to open the third quarter.

Senior K Emmanuel Benjamin’s PAT pulled the Aggies to within 17-16.

After Portland State’s opening drive of the third quarter ended in a missed 51-yard FG, the Aggies went 44 yards in six plays to set-up a 39-yard FG by Benjamin.

Benjamin’s kick gave UC Davis its first lead of the night at 19-17 with 5:29 left in the third quarter.

The Vikings were forced to punt again on their next possession, and Adam Cook’s 33-yard punt return gave the Aggies’ possession at the Vikings’ 31.

Plough then immediately went to the air and hit sophomore WR Luke McDonough for a 31-yard strike in the corner of the end zone with 3:44 to go in the third. Benjamin’s PAT gave the Aggies a 26-17 advantage.

UC Davis then sealed the game with a four-down, goalline-stand inside the one-yard line.

On the final play of the series, the Aggies stopped senior RB Olaniyi Sobomehin with 3:37 left in the game.

Plough finished 18-of-29 passing for 234 yards and two TDs.

Trombetta accounted for 154 yards from scrimmage, rushing 19 times for 93 yards and a score, and catching four passes for 61 yards. Rice also had five catches for 50 yards and a TD.

White, making his first career start, threw for 279 yards on 23-of-40 passing with one TD and one INT.

Sobomehin gained 123 yards from scrimmage, rushing 18 times for 81 yards and a score, and catching five passes for 42 yards.

Senior WR Tremayne Kirkland had five catches for 47 yards, and senior WR Kenneth Mackins had 92 yards receiving on four catches with a score.

Portland State finished with a 308-267 edge in total offense.

Senior DE James Amos, junior DL John Faletoese and sophomore DE Patrick Michelier all had two sacks each for the Aggies. Amos also had a team-high eight tackles (five solo).

Senior LB Jordan Senn recorded a game-high nine hits (five solo) for the Vikings. Dorsey had five stops (four solo), including two sacks.

The Vikings took advantage of two errant UC Davis punt snaps that went for safeties to build a 17-3 lead with 7:55 left to go in the first half.

The first bad snap gave Portland State a 2-0 lead with 10:08 left in the first quarter, when Aggies sophomore long snapper Jake Jondle sailed the ball over the head of junior P Brett Dickinson from the Aggies’ 22-yard line.

Viking sophomore CB Jordan Brown tackled Dickinson deep in the end zone to register the safety.

Portland State then took the ensuing kickoff and moved 48 yards in nine plays, capped by Sobomehin’s one-yard TD plunge, to take an 8-0 lead with 5:52 left in the quarter. The PAT attempt failed.

The second bad punt snap by UC Davis for a safety came from its own 26-yard line with 8:52 left in the half, pushing the Vikings’ lead to 10-3.

Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, White connected with Mackins for a 49-yard scoring pass, and Chris Chalmers added the PAT, to make it 17-3 with 7:55 to go in the half.

Portland State will next open Big Sky Conference play next Saturday against Sacramento State. Kickoff is set for 6:05 p.m., at PGE Park.

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